The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-10
One Of the Chief Criminals, After a
silence OF Thirty Yeats,
Comes Up
A SUPPLIANr TO HAVE HIS CASE
NOLLE PRESSED,
But Is Relentlessly Pursued by
Gen. Darr, One OF His
Victims.
SKETCHES OF THE PARTIES TO
THE AFFAIR,
And Some Particulars Of the Burn
Ing OF the Boat By
Survivor.

Times Star says: There is in this
city gentleman who was one Of the
crew OF the steamboat Martha Wash
ington, whose burning has been re-
called by the effort of Kissane to
have an indictment against him in
New York annulled. That gentle
man is Mr.. Charles l.. Hicks, river
agent of the Ohio and Mississippi!
railroad, who has deserted the river
for the railroad. His hair has grown
white in the service, but he can
climb the bank as lively as ever, and
his memory, particularly with refer
ence to the horrible affair with which
it was thought Kissaue had to do, is
as clear as though weeks instead of
years had elapsed.
II shall never forget that terrible
night" said he this morning, in tell
ing Of it. II believe | should re-
member that it all else passed from
my mind. l can recall every move
ment | made almost, and the shrieks
OF the men and women imprisoned in
the burning cabin ring in my ears as
/ talk to you. Oh, it was horrible.
The face OF the speaker grew sad
as he spoke, and his voice fell to a
whisper. He seemed to live again
that fearful night, and he described
every detail OF the burning of the
steamer with minuteness.
1T was in January Of 1866, you
know" said he. 1.-THE river was full
of ice. 1t had been closed here for
some time. and closed up again a
few days after we left Cincinnati. 1t
was on the evening of January Sd
that we lett here, dark, bitter cold
night, with tho wind whistling
dismally about the boat and driving
everybody inside.
1--WE had big lot of freight
aboard, being loaded down to within
twelve inches of the guards, and we
went down as far as Mt. Vernon be.
fore making any stops. The freight,
you know, consisted of boxes anC
barrels filed with bricks aud bowl
ders, which the conspirators had had
heavily insured, with the purpose o
burning the boat and getting the in.
surance money. The trip down az
far as Sixty-five Island, where we
burned, was uneventtul. 1t was al
/ o'clock in the morning, at the foot
OF Sixty. five Island, that we burned
Henry Shato, an old man 60 years
old, vas the pilot on duty at tn,
time, and he was the first to discover
the fire by the smell of smoke, ant
he gave the alarm, at the same tim
running the boat into the Arkansa
shore. The cries Of fire aroused u
all and we all made jump for life
| was asleep in the texas, with IN
head covered up, and was one Q
the last to be aroused by the din
but as soon as | found out what wa
the matter | ran around might
lively, l tell you.
when | got down to the boile
deck | found that the boat had bee
tied to some trees on shore, but th'
the cables had not been proper
fastened on the boat, which soc
drifted away. That of itself was
singular thing, you know. AS soc
as the cables were tied to the tire,
the gang plank was run ashore an
most Of the crew went over on tina
but in a minute the boat was swul
out in the river again, aud that
what caused so many TO be burn(
up. The wretches who conspired
burn the boat wanted her TO dri
away from the bank so she wou
burn to the waters edge, and so tn
nothing could possibly be saved fro
her that would tell any damasil
tales"
How did you save yourself, NJ
Hicks2"
by swimming, | had to swim
far as from Fourth street to Thi
street through that ice water, aud
don't know now how | did it.
was desperation that made me. /
came down from the texas | hea
women's screams inside the cabi
/ kept on down with the intention
getting on the yawl that had be
gotten ahoat, but telling some of t
crew who were in the yawl abo
the ladies being in the cabin, we ii
her to the boat and went up to sa
them If We could. | rushed throu
the cabin three times trying to
some one, but | had to keep my ey
shut and could only go by my ser
OF feeling, and SO could not resc
anyone.
when | got back to the yawI
saw that five wandering musicit
had got into it aud had in some "
got the plug out. She half filled W
water, aud they, in the exciteme
turned her over on the side. III
fell out and drowned before my ey
By this time the whole boat '
afame and | had to Jump, s,
jumped first into the yawl, then il
the river and swan ashore. Al
did SO | saw Capt Cummins on
rudder, and / thought he would q
tainly be lost, but some fatboatm
who succeeded in working their
through the ice, rescued him at
last moment. The Washington
not in the ice when she burned, h
ing drifted into a clear place m
by the eddy"
How many we're lostP"
"There must have been over 70
An account published this week {
sixteen. but there we're at least 1,
odd. When we got on shore
found that there were forty tire
us Of the crew, No record had !
made Of the passengers, but l k
there were forty-two or forty-tf
OF them. All the crew were save
Where did the FIRE start2"
SIN a room lust forward Of